August Wilson

Born: 1945-04-27

August Wilson (1945–2005) was an American playwright. He has been referred to as the "theater's poet of Black America". He is best known for a series of ten plays, collectively called The Pittsburgh Cycle, which chronicle the experiences and heritage of the African-American community in the 20th century. Plays in the series include, Jitney (1982), Fences (1984), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (1984), Joe Turner's Come and Gone (1986), The Piano Lesson (1987) and King Hedley II (1999). Two of his plays received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (Fences and The Piano Lesson), and one the Tony Award for Best Play (Fences). In 2006 Wilson was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame. Since Wilson's death two of his plays have been adapted into films: Fences (2016) and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020). Actor/director/producer Denzel Washington has shepherded the films and has vowed to continue his legacy by adapting the rest of his plays into films for a wider audience by saying, "The greatest part of what’s left of my career is making sure that August is taken care of".


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Ma Rainey's Black Bottom: A Legacy Brought to Screen

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2020-12-18

Viola Davis, Denzel Washington, George C. Wolfe and more share the heart, soul and history that...

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On Broadway

as Self
Released: 2019-10-12

An all-star cast tells the inside story of the Broadway theater, and how it came back from the...

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August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand

as Himself
Released: 2015-02-20

Unprecedented access to Wilson’s theatrical archives, rarely seen interviews and new dramatic...

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Wylie Avenue Days

as Interviewee
Released: 1991-01-01

The Pittsburgh History Series is an ongoing series of hour-long documentaries that highlight...

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